Destiny: WE STAND ALONE
by BadNano-9MM
Summary: The Speaker receives vital intelligence from a lone Guardian survivor after a failed reconnaissance mission to the Moon. Now he must revive a fireteam composed of a psychotic warlock, a berserker titan, and an outlaw hunter. Will FIRETEAM OBSIDIAN be an asset to The Last City? Or will they be its annihilation...
1. Prologue

**Destiny: We Stand Alone**

**by Bad Nano_9MM**

_**AN: **__All rights belong to both Bungie and Activision for the characters, concepts, and universe as seen in the game with the exception of OC's as created by the author. This story is solely meant for the enjoyment of fellow gamers who have played the Beta and eagerly await this title's arrival on 9.9.2014 … Finally, I'd like to dedicate this story to my clan [DOB] with whom I've shared many harrowing moments in The Crucible…_

_ The Last City_

_ Tower North, Earth_

The Speaker exited the Hall of Assembly amid angry outbursts and shouted expletives in a dozen languages as The Consensus was just informed of an impending Hive invasion from the Moon. He had delivered the announcement knowing that this vital intelligence, gained by the noble sacrifice of several dozen Guardians, would not be welcome news to the City's representatives. The meager resources of both the Vanguard and the FOTC were perilously stretched to the breaking point. His footsteps were soft compared to those of his escorts, a squad of Titans outfitted in Illyrian Type-2 heavy armor and carrying Cydonia auto-rifles at port-arms. Their boots crashed onto the ground which made the walls tremble. His ghost, Cersei, floated alongside him lost in its own thoughts.

As the procession neared The Speaker's residence, the Titans split off and took up positions at the entrance. Their Cydonia auto-rifles were lowered but at the ready position. Merchants and their customers whispered their concerns. For this was the first time they ever witnessed armed sentinels in front of his home. Cersei scanned the environment for any threats to her partner's safety. Satisfied there were none, the ghost opened the defensive screens to allow herself and The Speaker to enter. Then she closed the screens and activated the perimeter anti-personnel and anti-vehicular defenses. These were FOTC rated Lethal Type-S, more than enough to vaporize a Fallen Devil-Walker.

"Cersei, locate the Vanguard here in the Tower." The Speaker waved his hand once and a virtual keyboard appeared in front of him. He immediately tapped in a series of commands as the ghost consulted the FOTC intranet to locate the commanders of The City's defenses. She noticed that he was retrieving a file that was marked with an Umbra Seal. The Umbra Seal meant there was forbidden knowledge or limited-access intelligence that was view-only to The Speaker and his Privy Council. An effective system for controlling information that served The City for ages. That didn't surprise Cersei. The ghost knew The Speaker reviewed thousands of files a day; a third of them bore the Umbra Seal. What surprised her was the one he was currently reviewing. Two words that made her sub-routines freeze and then seize up her logic circuits.

FIRETEAM OBSIDIAN.

"By all the gods, Speaker, are we that desperate? You're going to use The Rite of Recall to summon _them_ ? The Consensus is already hostile towards you after sending Guardians to The Forbidden Zone without a briefing. Plus, the Vanguard will not risk unleashing these 'Liege-Killers' without some method of control. I ask you to reconsider. Is this truly the will of The Traveler?" The ghost levitated in front of The Speaker, its single optical lens faintly glowed an iridescent blue. It seemed as if the ghost was angrily staring down at her partner.

The Speaker didn't flinch from the ghost's rebuke. If anything his face seemed to be more clam than it had been during the announcement to The Consensus. He gently laid a hand on the ghost floating in front of him. When he spoke, there was steel in his voice. The fate of humanity was riding on this roll of the cosmic dice. He was content to let historians judge him later as long as the Earth survived and humanity reclaimed its destiny among the stars.

"Cersei, it would be a tragedy if the human race and its allies perished here on Earth. It is the will of The Traveler for our people not only to survive the coming Darkness but to give hope to the rest of the universe as well. And if I have to unleash hell to succeed in that goal, then so be it. Now, transport the Vanguard directly here without any more delay. It's time for The Rite of Recall to be invoked."

The ghost nodded once then activated the transmat network. It located the biometric signatures of the Vanguard and transported all three leaders into The Speaker's atrium. After overcoming the initial disorientation after the transport, the Vanguard turned as one towards The Speaker. It was clear from their expressions that they were not happy to be taken away from their duties without an official notification. The Speaker carefully assessed each Vanguard as he readied himself for yet another heated argument this morning.

Commander Zavala led the City's Titan Corps. The Awoken male came from one of the most prestigious noble houses and set a number of records in The Crucible. He stood at over 3 meters tall and weighed in at 200 kg, every inch was solid muscle. Clad in red-and-white Imperator Rex heavy plate armor, the Awoken commander was every citizen's ideal of what a Guardian should aspire to. His likeness graced the numerous recruiting posters for the FOTC. His perpetual scowl amused The Speaker.

"Speaker, I assume there is an emergency that requires our collective presence and not another impromptu excuse for tea?" growled the commander. He was definitely not amused at this development.

The Speaker gave a hearty laugh. "Were that the reason Commander, I'd simply voice-comm and issue a formal invitation. I assure you that we are meeting now to undertake decisive measures to ensure The City's survival." He gestured for his guests to take a seat. They all sat on padded stools in front of The Speaker. Cersei summoned a robot to bring refreshments for the Vanguard. As soon as they were plied with drinks and food, the conversation was resumed.

Cayde-6 was the next to address The Speaker. The Exo Warden of the Hunt once roamed the Earth as a lone wolf who waged a solitary guerilla war against the various alien threats that plagued The City. His exploits as a Scout-Sniper with the FOTC was still remembered decades later. Although he longed to return to the wastes, The Speaker assigned him to mentor young Hunters in fieldcraft and survival skills. His cloak told of a history filled with slaughter and tragedy. A well-worn combat smatchet crafted from spinmetal and emblazoned with the Mark of the Hunter hung from a Vandal-skin scabbard on his utility belt.

"I assume that the Vanguard is here because of the uproar we heard coming from The Hall of Assembly. And that the reason for their ire is because of a mission to The Forbidden Zone that even _we_ weren't aware of." Cayde-6's photo-receptors flashed with an angry strobe. He didn't appreciate losing Guardians especially to the Hive. The Exo Hunter had a long memory of the massacre in Old Chicago. His hand reflexively gripped the handle of his smatchet.

"Warden Cayde, I understand that you have taken exception with the decisions I have made these past weeks. While it was unfortunate that those Guardians who volunteered to journey to the Moon were killed in action, the lone survivor did return with vital and actionable intelligence. The Hive is ready to invade our world again. Had we been caught unprepared here in The City, our people would be wiped out. Awoken, Exo, and Humans we all would have perished in place. The sacrifice of those Guardians won't be forgotten. The price they paid in blood gives us hope."

Cayde-6 nodded his head and relaxed his grip on the smatchet. While the Exo still felt resentful of The Speaker's decision to proceed with the lunar excursion without Vanguard approval he understood the necessity of it being sent in the first place. He accepted a bulb of lubricant from the robot serving them as Cersei floated closer to the gathering. The ghost wanted to be close by in case these proceedings got heated. So far The Speaker was succeeding in his endeavor.

Cersei focused her attention on the final member of the Vanguard. Ikora Rey was The Supreme of the FOTC Coven, commander of all warlocks. She mastered both the Sunsinger and Voidwalker disciplines at a very young age becoming the first Warlock champion of the Iron Banner tourney. Lord Saladin himself was so impressed that he personally awarded her prizes in the main plaza of Tower Watch. Rey made her name when she literally disintegrated three Hive wizards in a single battle during an expedition to the Mumbai Push. Her fellow Guardians who survived that encounter petitioned The Consensus to elevate her to become the next Supreme. Since accepting the position, Ikora Rey has made it a priority to recover as much Golden Age-era technology towards the goal of reclaiming the Sol system from alien occupation. The dark-skinned Supreme finished her chai tea before addressing The Speaker.

"Am I to understand that after all that has occurred today that you need the Vanguard's support in yet another _independent _ action that will likely result in your censure?" Rey's hazel eyes twinkled with mischief. Cersei chirped, the ghost giving the machine version of a snort. Commander Zavala continued to fume. Cayde-6 helped himself to another bulb of gold-flecked lubricant that went down silky smooth with his internal gears.

The Speaker stood up then gestured for an orange-hued holographic screen to appear before his gathering. On the screen appeared the ominous Umbra Seal which alerted the Vanguard leaders that the small talk was now over. Whatever The Speaker had in mind, they knew that it would not sit well with The Consensus or the factions vying for control here in The City. Each of them knew the peril of fighting the Hive. No option was too extreme. Until they saw the file's header. FIRETEAM OBSIDIAN.

Ikora Rey shot to her feet so fast that Cersei had to dodge to the right to avoid colliding with the warlock leader. Her face hardened with unbridled fury as she pointed a trembling hand towards the screen. Sweat broke out on her brow. Cersei never saw the Supreme overcome with so much emotion. The ghost filed away the warlock's reaction in her database for later review.

"Have you gone mad? You want to recall the 'Liege-Killers'?! Those Guardians are butchers! They are as much a threat to The City as our enemies! They're just as likely to kill US as the Hive. I know as well as anyone on the Privy Council just how desperate our situation is but this is unthinkable!" The warlock used a meditative technique to calm her but inside Ikora Rey was seething. Recalling Fireteam Obsidian meant releasing The Emissary of Oblivion, an Awoken male who brought down the Hall of Assembly with a Nova Bomb. She shuddered at the thought of that mass-murderer walking the Earth again.

Cayde-6 raised a toast to The Speaker. If Sliver Longstride returned from beyond then the Hunters he commanded would benefit from the Master Huntsman's experience. While the Exo never served with the legendary Hunter, Longstride's exploits were still talked about over many a campfire in the wastes. It would be interesting to say the least to see the man in action.

Commander Zavala kept reading the lines of code that streamed on the screen. His eyes widened in surprise when he came to the final member of Fireteam Obsidian. A veteran of Twilight Gap. One of The Hundred Who Held The Line. He was eager to speak with this Titan who he idolized as a boy. An ancestor of his, of his noble house The Fist of the North Star. The commander of The City's Titan Corps overlooked the fact that his illustrious ancestor was nicknamed 'The Berserker'. Whatever the cost, he would work with The Speaker to invoke The Rite of Recall.

Cersei lowered armored shutters over the main entrance and throughout The Speaker's residence. The ghost initiated a number of security sub-routines, one of which disabled any surveillance directed at this location.

The air shimmered and in The Speaker's hands was the symbol of his office, an Iridium Crozier etched with mysterious runes which seemed to flow up and around the length of the staff. Everyone, including Cersei, felt the power that emanated from that object. The Vanguard stood in awe as The Speaker murmured an incantation that electrified the air and made their perception of the atrium become hazy. When their vision cleared, both the Vanguard and The Speaker found themselves in a featureless cube that floated in a geo-stationary orbit above the Earth. In the center of the room they currently occupied, three ghosts floated in stasis. The first was jet-black with crimson accents. The second was crimson with onyx stripes. The final one was titanium yellow with scarlet markings. All three ghosts appeared to have been inactive for several hundred cycles. Cersei appeared next to The Speaker then activated a series of controls that powered the three inert ghosts to life. Before Cersei released them from the stasis field, she rewrote some lines of code and installed some much needed updates. The Speaker nodded once as Cersei's voice boomed inside the orbital prison.

"0-7-Foxtrot, arise! Heed the call of your Speaker! Ready yourself and your partner for return to the material world…"

As Cersei made the announcement, The Speaker slammed his Iridium Crozier into a slot measuring 1.5m in thickness. The Crozier was twisted first to the left then the right as the air became ionized and three concentric circles appeared. Within each circle hieroglyphs materialized then slowly turned counter-clockwise as The Speaker continued murmuring words of power from a bygone age. He motioned once to Commander Zavala who in turn took a platinum cylinder from his own belt. The Titan pressed a stud on the cylinder that unfolded into his Commander's Mace. It eerily glowed with a greenish light and was topped with a wicked-looking flanged head. Zavala raised his mace over his head then roared as the winds swirled around the gathering.

"_**I am Zavala, Commander of The City's Titan Corps! I invoke the Rite of Recall and summon forth Keisari dux Hawkmoon; Foehammer, Berserker, Ravager of the Unclean. Step forth among the living once more Titan!"**_

Zavala swung his Commander's Mace and struck the Iridium Crozier that rang like a thousand church bells that echoed throughout the cube. A bright light flashed which momentarily blinded those assembled on the main deck. In front of The Speaker and the Vanguard materialized a Titan armored in Durga GNT-S heavy plate colored jet-black with crimson stripes. Around the Titan's waist was The Mark of the Executioner which was given only to a select few at Twilight Gap. Keisari dux Hawkmoon, a legendary guardian among The City's Titan Corps, took his first steps in a different world. His ghost, 0-7-F or Oh-Seven, floated next to him. Cersei adjusted the defensive counter-measures of the station since the Vanguard made their concerns known back on Earth. She didn't share the Speaker's optimism regarding Fireteam Obsidian.

Cayde-6 drew his spinmetal smatchet as he approached the Speaker. The hunter flicked his wrist downwards and watched as the smatchet's blade lengthened to the size of a short sword. Blue lightning coruscated along the length of his blade as he raised the weapon over his head. Cersei's voice boomed again through the chamber as the winds began to howl again.

"0-8-Foxtrot, arise! Heed the call of your Speaker! Prepare yourself and your partner to hunt the Darkness once again…"

The Exo Hunter reached behind his cloak and took a writhing Mumbai pit-viper with his right hand. The snake tried to penetrate the hunter's armor with its fangs to no avail. Cayde-6 slit the pit-viper on its underside, from its triangular head to the end of its tail. Long, flowing ribbons of blood fell onto the deck. As it touched the glowing circles of power, smoke rose and more blue lightning crackled in the air. Cersei kept an eye on the status boards making sure the swirling energies here didn't jeopardize the station.

"_**I am Cayde of the Exo, Master of the Hunt and Prime of Those Who Hunt the Night. As leader of The Circle, I invoke the Rite of Recall and summon forth Sliver Longstride! Skull-Crusher, Heart-Piercer, most revered Warden of the Wastes! Stalk the Darkness with your brothers once again Hunter!"**_

Cayde-6 threw the dying Mumbai pit-viper into the air then decapitated it. As the viper's head fell, the hunter swung the spinmetal blade and pinned it to the deck which burst upon contact with the coruscating lightning. A second bright flash of light blinded those assembled as a Guardian outfitted with crimson Dustwalker armor strode into the chamber. Onyx stripes could be seen on the revived Hunter's shoulder pauldrons, chest-plate, and greaves. A leather-handled, gut-hook fighting knife hung on the revived Hunter's left side while on his right side was a mono-edged tomahawk that bore Longstride's emblem: a soaring hawk in flight. Sliver Longstride held out his hand as O-8-Foxtrot floated towards him. Both Guardian and ghost seemed deep in silent conversation as the winds picked up around them.

The Speaker looked withdrawn and haggard. The Rite of Recall hadn't been used in centuries but the need was too great. The remaining active ghosts were reviving as many Guardians as possible to re-form The Phalanx, the City's Grand Army of Light. Yet as revived Guardians were trickling in individually and in small groups, it was in far fewer numbers than the Hive was creating. He still believed that Fireteam Obsidian would give The City the edge it needed to fight against the Darkness. Cersei called forth a squad of re-programmed Shanks which hovered along either side of The Speaker and the Vanguard. The chrome and black striped drones powered up their plasma cannons as Ikora Rey stepped forward with a golden rod inlaid with precious gems. She still harbored doubts about releasing a psychotic warlock no matter how much the Speaker reassured her. Armored shutters slammed down on all viewports as Cersei sealed the main chamber in case of atmospheric decompression. The ghost activated additional counter-measures including emergency beam-out back to the Tower. Cersei's voice boomed a final time throughout the station.

"0-Nine-Foxtrot, arise! Heed the call of your Speaker! Prepare yourself and your partner to return to the living world…"

As Cersei made her announcement, Ikora Rey murmured a couple of incantations herself as a protective shield flared into existence. She clutched the Rod of the Supreme with a tighter grip. Her body was drenched with sweat as she shouted to be heard over the howling winds.

"_**I am Ikora Rey, Supreme of the City and leader of the Coven. I invoke the Rite of Recall and summon forth Malx'ian Chak-Tii! Emissary of Oblivion, Shatterer of Hordes, Zenith of Annihilation we the Vanguard compel you to unleash havoc on the enemy once more! Step forth onto the material plane!"**_

Over the City, the Traveler pulsed once then a shockwave blasted forth that parted clouds and briefly caused thunderstorms over the vale. A brilliant golden-yellow beam streaked forth from the Traveler and struck the orbital prison above. Both the Speaker and the Vanguard struggled to stay on their feet. The other members of Fireteam Obsidian were comfortably seated in lounge chairs as their ghosts played back holographic video of the current situation on Earth and the rest of the solar system. Alarms sounded throughout the station, fire suppression systems blew out small fires, and Cersei switched on safety inter-locks that bled off excess energy into space. The ghost increased the strength of the structural integrity fields as a keening whine filled the chamber. It sounded like the howls of a thousand damned souls being released from hell.

A red-tinged gate opened before the group and stared in amazement at the spectral figure that leapt through the dimensional door. Ikora Rey recognized the legendary armor set worn by the warlock with abject horror. The King In Yellow. So the rumors were true of the warlock that dared to defy Supreme Callisto and clad himself in the Royal Robes of Hastur, The Terror of Aldebaran. The Elder Sign, Chak-Tii's bond, gleamed malevolently in the station's dim lighting. Seeing the people assembled before him, Malx'ian Chak-Tii gave a maniacal laugh. The sound chilled the Vanguard to the bone.

"Who dares to summon me back from beyond the void?", hissed the revived warlock. A whirling globe of void energy formed in his outstretched hand as the Shanks closed in threateningly around him. Cersei thought to herself, _This was a really bad idea…_

**END PROLOGUE**


	2. Unleashed

**Destiny: We Stand Alone**

**Chapter 1**

"**Unleashed"**

_AN: I'd like to thank MotionlessClearLight, GalacticUnicorn, AK74FU2, and HWL99 for taking time to review this story. Also, I'd like to thank all of those readers out there who are following this story. Please keep on reading 'n reviewing,ok?_

Three Months Later

Old Chicago, Earth

Sliver Longstride scanned the Fallen encampment below with the scope of his Gozen-C sniper rifle. The LongView SLR20 scope revealed not only the exact location of the enemy but also additional hazards that weren't noted in this morning's intel briefing. He really needed to impress upon Cayde-6 on the importance of revising the Surveillance & Target Acquisition report writing protocols used by the FOTC's Inquisition 'cause they _really, really underestimated_ the enemy's defenses and numbers there was Dreg handlers with snarling _kappa_, genetically modified bipedal raptor-monkeys whose cybernetic augs enhanced their speed and durability. The hunter faced off against these vicious monsters before and in was in no hurry to reacquaint him again with their fangs. If those fangs managed to penetrate your armor, a neurotoxin was released that ensured a slow, excruciating, and very painful death. So far the researchers at the FOTC Surgeon-General's labs still were unable to produce anti-toxin to counter this potent terror weapon. The Fallen used them like guard dogs to patrol the camp's perimeter. The _kappa's_ sight was attuned to heat signatures which gave them a crude form of infravision which would make Fireteam Obsidian's infiltration of the Fallen camp so much more hazardous.

Next there was the number of servitors that were making sweeps around the camp. The Inquisition stated there was only two of the lesser class to be taken out. It would have been a milk run for a master-class sniper like Sliver Longstride. Through the scope he counted _six_ and they were of the _Sepiks Prime _–class. Sliver shuddered at the memory of taking down the High Servitor during a strike mission in Old Russia. One of these behemoths was a major obstacle. Add in five more and this was starting to look like a suicide mission. Maybe their warlock shouldn't have sent the Supreme, Ikora Rey, straight to the Intensive Care ward at Azarias Memorial Hospital in Tower North. She was struck with an Axion Bolt then stuck in a Vortex Field for about an hour or so as Mal'xian Chak-Tii rampaged through Tartarus Station. Needless to say if it wasn't for both The Speaker's and Commander Zavala's intervention, Fireteam Obsidian would have been sent back into stasis. It would have been a very lethal option for all involved in the melee. Especially for the FOTC since both the City's Security Forces and the frontline Protective Forces (which included all Guardians) couldn't afford the loss in manpower. The Vanguard decided that Fireteam Obsidian would serve temporary duty at Forward Observation Bastion Leonidas located on Meigs Island near Old Chicago. They would rotate with three other fireteams in reinforcing the 1st Murican Rangers (FOTC) in securing this sector.

The final problem that the Inquisition failed to mention was staked in the middle of the Fallen camp. Judging by the subject's estimated biometrics as measured by his Cortical Visual Interface the hunter was looking at either an Awoken or Human female. She was outfitted in a standard FOTC skinsuit issued to Technical Services personnel. Sliver checked the FOB Leonidas database for any missing personnel reported to the local Security Forces office. All personnel were present and accounted for. The hunter was puzzled by this new mystery. He increased the magnification on his scope and saw that she was bound by material similar to that used in Tangler grenades issued by the Vanguard Armory. Tangler grenades released neon-green sticky foam that incapacitated high-value targets. Tanglers were a non-lethal option for snatch missions. It was now time to check in with the rest of the team as the sun rose over the horizon. He then opened the Ultrawave team frequency to call the others.

"Bloodhawk to Foehammer."

Keisari dux Hawkmoon was lying prone 1500 meters southwest of the Fallen camp. His Xerxes-C Heavy Machine Gun's barrel stood on its bipod attachment. The black-armored titan was under a photo-mimetic cloak that kept him hidden from both the Dregs and Servitors who were patrolling the camp's perimeter. It took him much of the night and early morning to get into position. He was itching to unleash a hailstorm of violent death on these alien occupiers. These uninvited squatters of his adopted homeworld. He felt the rush of adrenaline flow into his bloodstream, the first sign of _The Legacy of Rage_. It was an ability that was gifted to less than 1% of Awoken titans and had saved Hawkmoon during those terrible months at Twilight Gap. A bearer of the Mark of the Executioner identified him to allied City units to keep their distance once the battle started. Once in the grip of homicidal battle-lust, an Executioner was unstoppable. Until he ran out of bombs, bullets, and blades (or living targets) Keisari dux Hawkmoon would continue to slaughter anything that moved.

"Foehammer. Are we going to put in some work in today or not Bloodhawk? If I wanted to go on a nature hike I'd have taken a nosedive off of the Tower. The only bastards getting any action here are these swarms of insects trying to get past my shields to feast on my flesh." He swatted away another cloud of annoying flies.

Sliver chuckled at the titan's misery. Sneaking up on the enemy located in the middle of a coniferous swamp was dangerous enough. When your own people don't give you an accurate and complete briefing makes a guardian think twice about exactly why he or she is putting their ass in harm's way. He made another sweep of the area with his rifle before responding to the titan.

"Suck it up, buttercup. Boost the strength of your ultra-sonics. Quit your bitching, Kei, you'll see your share of carnage soon. That is if Chak-Tii doesn't incinerate every square inch of this encampment first." Sliver clicked off the channel as he noticed movement down below. The Fallen camp increased activity as a four-limbed captain approached the bound female.

Through the scope he witnessed the writhing form of the prisoner as she struggled to keep out of the reach of the Fallen captain. He in turn gestured to the two Dregs standing guard over her. The hunter knew this technician, whoever she was, must be important enough to keep alive since the Fallen weren't exactly known for being merciful to other intelligent species. He also noticed the approaching dropship. Sliver needed to know if Chak-Tii was ready to disrupt the Fallen's defenses here. He opened the team's Ultrawave frequency a second time.

"Bloodhawk to DarkStar."

"DarkStar. What is it that you require Bloodhawk? My preparations aren't complete yet. A few more minutes and we'll bathe in the blood of our enemies. Even the fools running the City will regret exiling us here to the hinterlands." The warlock was in another of his foul moods and still in denial over why they were assigned to FOB Leonidas. At the moment he and his ghost, Oh-Nine, were making modifications to his S-22 Seeker. They were hidden by a thicket of Northern white cedar trees. Chak-Tii monitored the sentries via his helmet's neural net-link. His ghost made a circuit of the camp's perimeter and shared the video feeds through the fireteam's secure intranet.

"Going loud sooner rather than later, Chak-Tii. I'm sending an updated sitrep now to both you and Foehammer. It appears that the Fallen have a high-value prisoner. Female, either Awoken or Human. Wearing a FOTC skinsuit but the local garrison here has everyone present and accounted for. Whoever she is, to the enemy she's important enough to be kept alive. Which means The Speaker and the Vanguard might be grateful enough to let us come home." _Chew on that you arrogant bastard, _ thought Sliver to himself.

"Hunter, according to the Vanguard Archives, there was a place called The Argonne located further inland. They researched several areas of emerging technology during the Golden Age. Do you think she was scavenging there? By the way, I can feel your sarcasm oozing through…"

Sliver gave a snort. He personally didn't give a rat's ass what the warlock did as long as it accomplished the mission and didn't get the rest of the team killed. He started a timer on the holographic display of his helmet as he centered the Gozen-C's sights on the space between two Dregs armed with plasma rifles on the northern edge of the camp. Keisari dux Hawkmoon crawled another 700 meters closer to the enemy and set up his heavy machine-gun between two boulders. Malx'ian Chak-Tii finished holstering his matching set of Regulator hand-cannons. The warlock dismissed his ghost and mounted his speeder-bike. Thirty seconds to mayhem. One chance to pull off a miracle.

As the timer ran down to zero, Malx'ian Chak-Tii took off on his modified Seeker rocketing towards the embedded wing of an ancient 747 as the Fallen dropship made its final approach to the camp. Alerted by the high-pitched whine of the Seeker's thrusters, the two Dregs charged up their plasma rifles. Before they could shoulder their weapons and take aim at the incoming warlock, Sliver twice squeezed the trigger on his Gozen-C sniper rifle. The 12.7mm match-grade, iridium-core High Explosive Armor Piercing rounds went supersonic driven by the rifle's kinetic coils. Mere seconds later the Dregs' heads disintegrated as the HEAP rounds first penetrated the aliens skulls then detonated. Glowing white energy escaped from the corpses as bits of bone and brain matter littered the ground. The warlock sped past their falling bodies as more Dregs and Vandals realized their camp was under attack.

Keisari dux Hawkmoon took up a Breaker SA/5 rocket launcher and used the smart-link between his Cortical Visual Interface and the launcher's fire-control system to acquire his target. The titan saw that Chak-Tii had started his run towards the camp. He fired the Breaker at a group of Fallen that had gathered in front of a structure that had been identified by the Inquisition as a communications hub. The 60mm missile roared into the sky as it followed its pre-programed route to the target area. It made some minor course corrections as it dodged plasma blasts fired off by the enemy. The Fallen helplessly watched as the missile made a 90-degree turn straight up then detonated its lethal payload 500m above their heads. The airburst released deadly maser sub-munitions that decimated the Fallen.

Thousands of micro-warheads exploded which created blue-white arcs of chain lightning that electrocuted Dregs, Servitors, and Vandals alike. The aliens spasm and jerked in tandem with the pulsating bolts of their destruction. Dregs were burned alive, Servitors AI modules were flash-fried, and Vandals ran howling until their bodies sparked into flames then dropped onto the swampland. The Fallen communications hub was totally obliterated with debris spread all over the camp. Smoke hissed then rose into the fetid air as Fireteam Obsidian pressed their assault. The Titan discarded the rocket launcher and took up his Xerxes-C Heavy Machine Gun. He strode forth towards the now burning camp with his weapon at the ready. Underneath his helmet, the Awoken titan grinned. _**The Legacy of Rage **_ filled his entire being with raw, unfiltered power.

Malx'ian Chak-Tii leaned back as far as he could as he accelerated along the wing. He twisted the throttle to maximum as the S-22's afterburners engaged boosting the vehicle's speed to 200kph. Panicked Dregs and Vandals fired their weapons as he sped by towards the approaching dropship. The warlock launched the Seeker into the dropship's open hangar bay as he flung himself backwards off the speeder-bike. Using his CVI and his hand-cannon's own aiming module, the warlock squeezed off a single 13mm spinmetal round that impacted a glowing container of liquid _aqanah_, a rare mega-heavy metal that greatly amplifies energy, attached to the speeder-bike's instrument panel. The resulting explosion tore the dropship in half and killed any Fallen crew members unlucky enough to be aboard. Flaming wreckage crashed down upon the already panicked alien troops adding to the mounting confusion. Chak-Tii activated his glide ability to slow his descent to the chaotic battle below.

Sliver was climbing down off a boulder when a surviving Servitor blasted him with a purple-hued plasma bolt. The blast had burned off his personal shield and the indicator on his display was flashing red. It would take several precious minutes for the palm-sized unit on his armor to recharge and re-establish a defensive barrier around him. The hunter had been thrown head-over-heels into the muck. The Servitor disappeared for a few seconds then reappeared several meters away from the guardian. Sliver knew that he had to kill this enemy now before the Fallen managed to regroup and counter-attack the team. Time was still of the essence here.

His shield recharged and his indicator stopped its annoying beeps. The hunter unclipped his Graviton ESe shotgun then racked back the slide. Sliver was using 20mm shrapnel rounds filled with tungsten-carbide steel darts. He checked the motion tracker on his helmet's display and saw that the Servitor was still stalking him. The hunter picked up a rock by his foot and used an overhand throw to attract the Servitor's attention. The rock made a dent as it struck the automated sphere. As expected the Servitor shot its plasma beam as Sliver rolled to his right to avoid being incinerated. The beam struck the bog which vaporized the ground and caused a wall of hazy steam to screen him from the mechanical weapon. Engulfed by the steam his opponent was confused and seemed unsure of how to proceed. The master hunter took a running leap then somersaulted into the air. As the Servitor turned back to look in his direction, Sliver blasted the Servitor from 10 meters away with his shotgun. The shrapnel round traveled half the distance where it blew apart launching hundreds of lethal darts that embedded themselves into the floating sphere. Sparks flew, smoke billowed, and the Servitor emitted a high-pitched electronic screech. As it was shuddering in its death throes, Sliver shoved the barrel of the Graviton ESe into the Servitor's eye and squeezed the trigger.

"_Hasta la vista… baby." _ The 20mm shrapnel shell made short work of the Servitor as its mechanical innards were shredded to scrap. It exploded behind Sliver who was now focused on rescuing the female prisoner from her Fallen captors. He checked the positions of his other team-members then ran in the direction of where he last saw the prisoner.

The titan fired his Xerxes-C HMG in short bursts chewing up armor and alien flesh with ease. When the ammo counter clicked on zero, he gripped the barrel then swung the HMG like a club which crushed the skull of a Vandal who was foolish enough to attack him head-on. Keisari dux Hawkmoon was now fully in the grip of _The Rage _as he tore through the remaining Fallen guards. He elbowed a second Vandal in the midsection then used a left upper-cut that sheared off the Vandal's head from the rest of his body. When he spotted a group of Dregs running around the corner snarling and howling with anger, the titan tossed a pulse grenade which took the Fallen by surprise. While they tried to scatter or take cover the pulse grenade blew up amongst them sending chunks of earth into the air. Those that didn't die in the blast witnessed their kin being torn apart.

The first Dreg tried stabbing him with a shock knife. Keisari easily disarmed him, broke its wrist, and slit the alien's throat wide open. The titan spun around then side-kicked a second Dreg so hard that he caved its torso in. The third took two shots at him with a pistol but his personal shield absorbed the blasts. Keisari snapped a front kick into the third Dreg's groin that doubled the alien over. Taking advantage of the opening, the titan got a firm grip on the Dreg's head then smashed it against the rusted frame of an ancient car. As he finished off the last one, a flurry of shock bolts burst against his shield which he saw was down to half-strength according to his CVI's display. Keisari slid behind a concrete block as more shock bolts were fired in his direction. He pulled a hand-cannon that was a family heirloom passed down through the generations. Its silvered barrel featured etched 'hawk-feathers' along its length. The contoured mono-grip had a wicked-looking curved blade useful for close-quarters battle. After he saw another quartet of shock bolts shriek overhead, the Awoken titan broke from cover and ran…

…straight into an ambush by Stealth Vandals. They materialized into view as they deactivated their invisibility cloaks. Armed with mono-edged swords these Vandals were formidable combatants in CQB. Keisari ducked as a Fallen sword cleaved the air where his armored head was seconds ago. The titan kneecapped the attacking Vandal with two quick shots from his hand-cannon. He dodged a sword thrust from a second Vandal, blocked the second swing of that with the ruined Xerxes-C machine gun barrel, and dropped the Vandal with a well-aimed head shot. The Awoken titan took a moment to catch his breath. He ran a diagnostics check on his armor; according to his CVI the shield was at 95% strength. Keisari was wondering how the rest of team was doing when he was struck by a powerful shock bolt. The ionized energy battered his personal shield which was reduced to 40%. The blast had knocked him off his feet and left him half-submerged in the swamp. His vision was blurry and couldn't see his CVI displays. Warning chimes were sounding off and from the pings on the motion tracker, it sounded as if a hostile was closing in on him. He managed to rise up on one knee but still felt woozy. The sound of heavy boots seemed to be getting closer. Keisari dux Hawkmoon hoped that it was the rest of Fireteam Obsidian come to relieve him 'cause all he wanted to do was pass out on the flight back to base.

The warlock stepped over the corpses of the recently slain. He stealthily made his way among the rubble and the dead keeping an eye out for the female prisoner Sliver had mentioned. He saw her lying in open ground which would make it more likely that it was a planned trap. Underneath his helmet, the warlock smiled. The guardian jumped into the air, levitated in place, and threw a Void-fueled Scatter Bomb that struck the three suspected areas where the enemy was hiding. He was rewarded with two Vandals caught in the deadly embrace of being disintegrated alive screaming. The ping on his motion tracker alerted him to the enemy he missed. Malx'ia Chak-Tii blinked out of the air and reappeared behind the Vandal who was hunting him. He thumbed back the hammer on his Regulator hand-cannon and centered the revolver's barrel on the Vandal's head.

"Yahtzee!" The muzzle flash blinded the Fallen as he was turning as the 13mm shot-shell blew out the alien's brains into the humid air. The shock rifle slid from its lifeless hands as the Awoken warlock cautiously made his way towards the unconscious prisoner. Taking a cylinder off his belt, Chak-Tii sprayed the Tangler bonds with a chemical stripper that dissolved them. Satisfied that the last of the restraints had melted away, the warlock used a tricorder to check on the condition of this mystery woman. He opened the team's Ultrawave channel on the comms-link.

"DarkStar to Bloodhawk. I have secured the hostage. What's your ETA to my current position?." The warlock saw that the female technician was now waking up. He had that uneasy feeling when they debriefed her back at FOB Leonidas everybody's lives were going to be a helluva lot more complicated. Malx'ian Chak-Tii removed a spray hypo and administered a mild sedative to the woman. As he was preforming this minor task, the female reached up behind her ear to retract back her helmet. The warlock did a double-take then clicked the comms-link back on.

"Bloodhawk, we have a problem. The hostage isn't a no-name FOTC techinician. It's the Queen of the Reef's daughter: Princess Yizi il-Allitys Feystorm. We need to exfil this area. Now." The warlock was cursing under his breath. This mission went past the screwed-the-pooch marker.

"DarkStar, I hate to break it to you but actually we have two problems right now. The Fallen just captured Hawkmoon. Exfil is on hold 'til we get our titan back. Secure the VIP, synthesize more ammo, and meet me at the following coordinates. Nobody snatches a guardian, especially if it's one of ours." Sliver Longstride retrieved his Gozen-C sniper rifle and loaded a fresh magazine of 12.7mm match-grade HEAP rounds. The enemy was about to be reminded why Fireteam Obisidian was on the FOTC rolls as a 'Designated Reaper Crew'. It was time to hunt again.

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. No Guardian Left Behind

**Chapter Two: No Guardian Left Behind**

_**From The Annals of Remembrance, : …" Of the many acts of heroic sacrifice during the Final Battle of Twilight Gap, the greatest warriors who ever strode the earth were the few Titans remaining among the defenders of the Last City. 100 armored-clad giants, armed with the latest generation of small arms and heavy weapons, and imbued with powers gifted to them from The Traveler itself. For forty days and forty nights, the 100 Titans who would become legend as Those Who Held the Line stood their ground as wave after wave of fearsome alien invaders tried to break through their formidable defense. During a lull in the fighting, Commander Sontarr, before his death, honored nine of his subordinates with The Mark of The Executioner with the edict, 'Victory in the End or Death for All.' Of the nine, his favored champion was Keisari dux Hawkmoon, from the House of The Fist of the North Star. An Awoken lord and the First of his Name, he rained death and mayhem upon the enemy without mercy or regret. By the hundreds, then the hundreds of thousands, to sums too innumerable to list here blood flowed from the slaughter he wrought either by bullet, bomb, or blade. In the ranks, he was called 'Foehammer' but the Enemy knew him by another: The Ravager', one of the Unholy Trinity, The Accursed Lords of the Final Death. Together with the Kraven One, and The Shatterer of Hordes the invaders from the stars trembled with fear at the mere mention of their names. Even in this age, the Enemy rues the day of their return for the Wrath of the Heavens will once again be unleashed. They know the Second Coming of the Unholy Trinity will herald the end of their worlds…" -anon.**_

**Old Chicago, Earth**

Inside the ruins of the Harbor Point skyscraper was the current home for the House of the Celestial Tyrant. Its sigil was a crimson spiral on a field of black. Their Kell held a seat on the _Uthchadas_, the Fallen Council of Chiefs. Their collective heritage stretched back for several millennia rich in the sack and pillage of entire civilizations. The House of the Celestial Tyrant claimed to have been the first among the noble houses to invade human space. Their captains were renowned for their taste in bloodshed and torture. However there was one who stood apart in his excesses. Ar'rakyss the Unyielding, captain of the battlecruiser _Corpse-Eater_, sat on a throne made of human bones and rusted iron. The Fallen captain made the giving of the gift of pain into fine art.

His handiwork decorated the walls of his impromptu throne room. He was working on a plan to break the Last City's defenses when he was interrupted mid-thought by one of his lowly Dregs. The captain's body language clearly showed his annoyance.

_My lord, a prisoner has been brought here. We believe he is one of the guardians responsible for the death of our crewmen. _, the Dreg announced in a series of clicks and hisses.

Underneath his helm, Ar'rakyss the Unyielding grimaced. The loss of on one of his own transport craft and its skilled pilots disgusted him. The Fallen captain wanted retribution on the humans and their allies in the worst way. He just hoped this prisoner lived long enough for him to complete the mural he currently was laboring on. His last few subjects were very unsatisfying for dying in the middle of his creative mood. It was hard to be an artist when the conquered are too frail for his own compositions. He angrily waved one of his four arms towards the dreg to continue with his report. The Fallen captain tossed away a sharpened femur bone that he was using as a chisel.

_He is of the class the humans call Titan. And he is wearing a very strange mark. We had to call in the Loremaster to identify it. He went pale at the sight of the titan's sigil. It is a blood-red skull cleaved by a golden axe on a field of midnight-blue. The Loremaster says it's the insignia of one of the Accursed Lords of Final Death. I- *uuck…._

The dreg never finished his sentence as his captain crushed his throat with one powerful blow. The dreg collapsed to the floor in a lifeless heap as Ar'rakyss the Unyielding roared his displeasure at this news. Over time he had come to know the human culture, their history, their mythology. The Fallen captain knew that hope, in any form, was a lethal weapon that could derail his people's plan to dominate the galaxy. This was a totally unacceptable development. And of course his minions bring the guardian here! Ar'rakyss the Unyielding strapped on his massive swords and made his way to the makeshift brig down below. His creative mood was now ruined. He waved over a quartet of Vandals, his personal guard, towards the elevator. Maybe he needed some inspiration by interrogating this new prisoner.

**The Last City, Earth**

Commander Zavala and Cayde-6 were monitoring the situation in Old Chicago with interest. Fireteam Obsidian knew how to stir up a hornet's nest. The Fallen hadn't been seriously challenged in that sector for ages. Those scavengers had just lost their holdings in Old Russia. Now the FOTC was renewing their offensive in the ancient wilds of North America.

"I need the status of Fireteam Obsidian." growled the Awoken commander.

Geordi 51-50 turned from the console he was working on. The robot transferred the holographic screen he was monitoring to the central conference table where the Vanguard were busy receiving status reports from various FOTC units and their embedded fireteams. The robot's hands flew through a series of complex keystrokes as he synched both the audio and video feeds from Old Chicago. Commander Zavala nodded his thanks as he turned to confer with Cayde-6.

"So it looks like we're getting the results of The Speaker's audacity. What are your thoughts Cayde? Can we secure the Midwest sector of the North America zone by the end of the spring?"

Cayde-6 finished reviewing the latest updates from the field. It was a serious gamble reviving the Black Guardians then assigning them to one of the worst regions to fight in. Yet, Fireteam Obsidian had consistently proven themselves more than capable of taking on the Enemy even three centuries later. Their time in stasis didn't dull their lethal edge. While their successes were raising the morale of the FOTC and the citizens here in The Last City, there were still grumblings among the Consensus who were concerned that the Black Guardians would turn on them at the first opportunity. Which was why the Vanguard reached a compromise with the Consensus is assigning Fireteam Obsidian to FOB Leonidas in Old Chicago. They were listed as an independent unit separate from the local command and reported only to the Vanguard.

The Exo hunter swiveled his head towards Commander Zavala. "The 1st Murican Rangers have located Princess Yizi il-Allitys Feystorm and have put her aboard a Javelin transport headed straight here to the Tower. And yes, I think with the available FOTC units we have on-site, we can force out the Fallen from the Midwest sector by this spring. That's the good news, Zav."

"So what's the bad? They took out one of the Fallen's major communications and supply hubs! Plus, we finally have some leverage in our talks with the Queen of the Reef for an alliance to finally rid ourselves of the various alien factions occupying the Sol system. So again, Cayde, what's with the pessimistic tone in your voice?"

Cayde-6 flicked the holographic screen with the latest update from the Midwest sector on it towards the titan commander. His photo-receptors flashed iridescent blue as he typed in some command on his own virtual keyboard. The death or capture of a guardian, any guardian even a blacklisted one, was a serious cause for the Vanguard to be concerned. He just hoped that the armorer at FOB Leonidas remembered that tactical nukes weren't part of Fireteam Obsidian's regular issue.

**Old Chicago, 5km from the Fallen Occupation Zone**

Mal'xian Chak-Tii levitated a few feet above the ground with his hands outstretched and palms up. Twin globes of swirling, golden energy spun around him as he weaved a complex pattern of hand gestures. The eyes of his Pallid Mask helmet flared as the warlock used his powers to locate their missing brother-in-arms. Satisfied with the results of his search, the Black Guardian floated back to the ground then summoned his ghost to materialize in front of him.

"Nine, are you confident that the information on the memory crystal that we confiscated from Princess Feystorm is accurate? And that we can finally access the JORMUNGAND network? Keisari's life depends on your answer old friend…"

The titanium-yellow ghost turned its single photo-receptor towards the warlock. It seemed to be tut-tutting his assigned guardian. The JORMUNGAND network was one of the hundreds of Golden Age technology the Vanguard searched for and hadn't recovered until now. Princess Feystorm had located The Argonne Treasure which would upset the balance of power here in the Sol system. The warlock had found it as he was checking over the princess for any injuries while she was a prisoner of the Fallen. He smiled underneath his Pallid Mask. He made a mental note to conduct a more vigorous interrogation of the Awoken princess when Fireteam Obsidian was recalled to the Tower. The Black Guardians were finally going home to the Last City. This time the Consensus and everyone else would find out the hard way that these guardians never, ever played by anyone else's rules.

"You of all people should know there are no guarantees. But to answer your question, yes, the JORMUNGAND network is operational. We have the access codes."

Nine went back to making repairs on the warlock's sparrow. There were days he wished the Traveler had assigned him to the Shipwright, Amanda Holliday. Now there was a being who truly appreciated his talents. The ghost sighed as he thought of the many vehicles stored in the Tower's Hangar Bay. He imagined himself as the supervisor of a robot crew doing daily maintenance in relative safety not out here beyond the Wall with a murderous warlock for a companion.

The warlock opened the team channel on the Ultrawave transceiver. "DarkStar to Bloodhawk."

"Bloodhawk. You finished communing with the spirits beyond or what? We need to recover Foehammer before these asswipes decide to double-check for other intruders."

Sliver Longstride had trained his Gozen-C sniper rifle on the compound below him. He had identified the different hard-points to be taken out and uploaded the information to the warlock. He just hoped this improvised plan had better results than the last time they conducted an assault together. The hunter winced at the memory of being immersed in a regeneration tank for a week or two. Mal'xian Chak-Tii's plans usually involved lots of mass destruction with either something burning or glowing with radioactivity.

He made another pass with the LongView SLR20 scope to notice anything that would tell him if the Fallen were aware of their presence in the area. Thankfully, the 1st Murican Rangers had secured Princess Feystorm and were transporting her back to the Vanguard for debriefing.

"Thank you so much for the vote of confidence, hunter. I have the coordinates and am creating the strike packet now. Nine and Eight will do their parts in this little drama. Then we can grab our errant titan and go back to the Tower as heroes. Satisfied?" Malx'ian Chak-Tii finished the modifications on the settings his K'am-ock staff. Yet another relic of the Golden Age once wielded by mighty Supremes and used to be a symbol of a warlock's prowess. It was a weapon for a real supreme not that weakling currently leading the Coven, Ikora Rey. He would have finished the stripling off but a platoon of Security Forces had finally intervened at the cost of most them being hospitalized with serious injuries. Mal'xian Chak-Tii still had a score to settle with his fellow warlock. He was close to attaining the dark secrets needed to fully ascend into a higher being. This present revival was a slight detour to that goal. The warlock readied himself for the impending assault.

**Harbor Point, inside the Fallen Occupation Zone**

Keisari dux Hawkmoon came back to consciousness with a start. The last thing he remembered was being captured by the Fallen. He tried to move his arms and legs but it was pointless. The titan realized his captors had half-a-brain after all by employing a paralysis grid to keep him in place. They also used gravometric manacles on his wrists and ankles to ensure he didn't reach out to rip out their throats. Why they hadn't stripped him out of his armor was puzzling. That was the only positive factor in this bad situation. He re-booted his armor's operating system then checked his status. His personal shield was slowly recharging but he'd leave it off for now until he could actually escape.

He knew his fireteam was probably on the move searching for his exact location. Sliver was using his tracking skills learned in the wastelands while Chak-Tii utilized whatever black magick mumbo-jumbo to recreate his captors' movements. That concussion he received at that last donnybrook still made his head ache. Hawkmoon wished he still had a jug of that Venusian ale he stole from The Bastards Lounge in the Tower. It would have soothed the pains that wracked his body.

Hawkmoon quickly assessed his surroundings. The walls were solid concrete overgrown with mold or lichen. The paralysis grid and gravometric manacles were well-worn but in working shape meaning that the Fallen had been camped here for some time. The titan used his CVI and the helmet's own sensor suite to gather as much information about his surroundings. He tried using the Ultrawave transceiver but grimaced when all he got back was static. The comms unit must have been damaged while he was fighting those Vandals. His helmet's audio feeds alerted him to the large number of enemy troops in the vicinity. The Awoken titan heard the shuffling gait of the Dregs, the more confident stride of the Vandals, and the heavy footsteps of their Captain. It seemed as if the Captain was making his way to his location. Hawkmoon was running out of time. If he was going to make good on his escape then he needed to do it soon. The Fallen had to have identified him by now. The Battle of Twilight Gap might have been three centuries ago but it was still a raw defeat of recent memory that had shamed the Council of Chiefs. It was rumored that several Kells were reduced to Dregs after such a humiliating loss. There would be no quick death for an Executioner who fought in that battle. Hawkmoon started assembling a wi-fi virus to disrupt both the grid and the manacles. He just hoped the rest of the fireteam was close by to extract him.

**The Last City, Earth**

Geordi 51-50 was coordinating surveillance on the Fallen Occupation Zone where Fireteam Obsidian was currently located. The robot was in the middle of adjusting both the visual zoom and filtering the audio traffic when a series of what appeared to be codes started flashing on the screens he was monitoring. Confused, Geordi 51-50 tried to identify the source but was blocked by a firewall the required Phalanx-S clearance. He retrieved the appropriate directories and was surprised that there was only one unit that currently was in possession of the Phalanx-S clearance: Fireteam Obsidian. Annoyed that this interruption was preventing him from being able to do any intelligence analysis, he paged Commander Zavala over the Tower's public address system. The Awoken commander responded a few seconds later.

"Zavala here. Any updates from Fireteam Obsidian?"

The robot swiveled his head in from side to side. "No sir. That is not the main purpose of my call. There seems to be a problem with the Tower network, specifically the Vanguard intranet. An unusual series of codes has appeared on my screens and has disrupted my work. I am contacting you to ask for guidance in this matter."

"Go ahead Geordi. Show me these mysterious codes please." Zavala prepared his Cortical Visual Interface to receive the screenshots of Geordi's workstation. If it was another technician playing a moo-moo-oink simulation or fuzzy viz-sex then his size 16 armored boot was going to launch the offender to the moon. Literally without oxygen.

The following alphanumeric strings flashed on the Titan commander's interface:

MFG-FHHYR-XRYGQ-MDTRY-HFCCZ …

FPX6P-TRCMM-HD2vt-QPJKV- YCFJZ …

PCFD9-6WVY7-H7JPF-X9MK2-QGQCZ …

Phalanx-S clearance recognized and accepted…

JORMUNGAND SYSTEM NOW ACTIVE… RECALL TO REALSPACE IN 60 SECONDS… POWER OUTPUT IS 100% AND CLIMBING… ALL SAFETY INTERLOCKS DISENGAGED… STRIKE PACKET UPLOADED… EXECUTING CODE: CENTIPEDE…

Commander Zavala stared in utter shock as he read the lines of code scrolling across his vision. Hawkmoon, Longstride, and Chak-Tii had done the impossible! They found one component of the Omega Arsenal. Something the Vanguard and the FOTC had been searching frantically for centuries on end. And of all the guardians to discover it, the 'Liege-Killers' did and were now unleashing it on the Fallen. Klaxon alarms sounded throughout the Tower as FOTC soldiers and technicians raced by the commander to their assigned duty stations. The Awoken titan snapped out of his indecision and began to bark orders using the Tower's city-wide communications network.

"This is Commander Zavala to all FOTC personnel. As of this moment we are now at DEFCON ONE. Protective Forces are to gather at staging areas Alpha through Delta. Shipwright, prepare all available Javelin STS and Guardian ready reserve jumpships for Strike mission. Security Forces are to report to their assigned districts within the City and enforce martial law for the duration of this Strike mission. Cayde-6 and Ikora Rey to the Hall of Guardians for mission briefing."

**42,164km in orbit above the Earth**

At the moment that Commander Zavala was issuing orders that activated the full might of the FOTC and readied them for the Strike mission, one hundred eight jump gates opened as 2km-long orbital weapons platforms entered realspace for the first time since The Collapse. They activated dormant systems and began receiving the strike packet that the warlock Malx'ian Chak-Tii had put together. Magnetic coils charged up. Directed Energy Weapon muzzles irised open and flared with deadly radiation. The maw of the JORMUNGAND system opened wide, ready to consume the Fallen with ravenous abandon. The namesake of the Midgard Serpent now surrounded the globe ready to unleash its lethal judgment upon the Earth's numerous foes. Down in the Fallen Occupation Zone, Mal'xian Chak-Tii received the confirmation that the JORMUNGAND system was now finally active. It was time to finally announce to their enemies that the 'The Liege-Killers', the Black Guardians had returned to the battlefield.

**Harbor Point, Inside the Fallen Occupation Zone**

Ar'rakyss the Unyielding and his entourage arrived in the basement and were about to enter the brig when one of his senior sensor techs ran up to him waving his puny two arms. It seemed as if all the Dregs under his command had a death wish this morning. The sensor tech took a moment to compose itself then made the usual apologies for interrupting the captain's routine.

_ My liege, there is a development that you should be aware of. Fifteen minutes ago, we detected a spike in energy readings in orbit but our scanners can't pick up any visual confirmation of these events. It is the crew's estimation that we ready ourselves for battle._

The captain leaned back his head then laughed with disbelief. Ready their forces for battle just because a single Dreg noticed energy spikes? Ridiculous! There was nothing to challenge their supremacy here. The Vex were content with their holdings on Venus. The Cabal would be a serious enemy but they limited their activity to Mars. Only the Hive gave them pause but so far they were dormant in the Hellmouth on the Moon. The humans and their allies didn't have any true spacefaring capability thanks to those fools being degraded close to pre-industrial levels. Only their so-called Guardians fought back against them but they were few in number. If the Guardians ever had enough numbers to field a true army then maybe he would be worried. Maybe. He turned his attention back to the Dreg. Ar'rakyss the Unyielding was about to administer a severe beating on his subordinate when the ground shook. A few seconds later the lights went out in the basement level.

A panicked voice came over his personal communicator: _ My lord we are under attack! A banner has been planted in the chest of your slain first officer. The Accursed Lords of the Final Death are here!"_

400 km above the Fallen Occupation Zone, the ghost of Mal'xian Chak-Tii expertly piloted the jumpship _Aurora Wake_ through the Fallen's orbital defenses and released a single EMP bomb that fried all communication and fire-control systems of the alien invaders. Nine whistled as he flew the jumpship, an old tune called 'Bad Romance' from an aristocrat by the name of Lady Gaga. He was surprised that humans had humor.

Once Nine released the EMP into Fallen airspace which crippled the aerospace defenses of the aliens, the JORMUNGAND system unleashed its full fury as multiple kinetic strikes and energy discharges rained down from orbit. On the ground Dregs and Vandals alike scrambled for cover as death screamed down from the heavens. Several of them were blown apart showering their comrades with fountains of blood or shards of bone. Scores of Shanks lay lifeless on the ground killed by the EMP dropped by the warlock's ghost. Burnt wreckage of heavy-weapons bunkers and obliterated hulks of Devil-Walkers were scattered throughout the swamplands. The Black Guardians had taken first blood.

Eight flew Sliver Longstride's jumpship _Outrageous Fortune_ in the opposite direction firing both linear cannons and launching 10-kiloton neutron bombs into the enemy columns streaming forth to reinforce the Harbor Point compound. Fallen troops were ripped apart by explosive shells or flash-fried by enormous amounts of microwave radiation. The hunter's ghost made a second pass to do bomb-damage assessment then switched the jumpship's internal launcher to drop area-denial munitions to circle the compound preventing the enemy from assisting Ar'rakyss the Unyielding. Once its mission was done, Eight jumped the _Outrageous Fortune_ into orbit and rendezvoused with Nine in the _Aurora Wake_. Both ghosts were instructed to keep the jumpships parked in orbit until their guardians summoned them.

Mal'xian Chak-Tii threw a Nova Bomb that exploded among the charging Vandals who wanted revenge for their slain leader. A fractal blade sprung forth from his K'am-ock staff which he swung in a semi-circle in front of him that disemboweled the closest attackers. He pulled his Regulator hand-cannon and blasted the next three with 13mm spinmetal rounds that cratered the chests of the next wave of attackers. The warlock retracted the fractal blade back into the staff, flipped ends, and activated the built-in blaster that vaporized the final wave into so much ash. He raised the staff over his head and shouted a challenge to the howling Fallen warriors surrounding him.

"_**Come vermin"**_, hissed the warlock as his Pallid Mask morphed into a more fearsome visage, _**"and learn firsthand why your ancestors**_ _**call me The Shatterer of Hordes. I will offer up your souls to Hastur, the Feaster from Afar, and I will burn your worlds then erase your people from the annals of history. Come and be devoured!" **_ The warlock's K'am-ock staff glowed menacingly with Void energy as a large group of Dregs and Vandals rushed towards the Black Guardian. Maniacal laughter was heard as Mal'xian Chak-Tii released a shockwave that knocked the aliens backwards.

The warlock leaped into the air then threw a Scatter Bomb that tore apart the enemy at a molecular level. Their bodies were vaporized in an instant as wisps of their soul energy were sucked into his armor, the Royal Robes of Hastur. The titanium-yellow and scarlet striped longcoat of the warlock seemed to wail with each soul taken from the air. Chak-Tii blinked out then reappeared to thrust his staff's fractal blade through the back of a Vandal. The warlock triggered a purple-hued blast of Void energy that killed a second Vandal who tried to take his head with a sword. He slashed a third Vandal with the staff's fractal blade. As he continued to slash and blast his way to the Harbor Point skyscraper, the warlock wondered how Longstride was doing.

At that moment, Sliver Longstride squeezed off a shot that took out a Vandal that seemed to be giving orders to a group of Dregs trying to fix an anti-air emplacement. His second shot hit the emplacement's ammo dump that exploded and took out the rest of the Fallen gun crew. The hunter was about to take another shot when he felt the air vibrate. He instinctively rolled to his left as a Stealth Vandal materialized and slashed down with a massive sword. The Vandal's blade cleaved his Gozen-C sniper rifle in two. Sliver took the jagged end of his rifle's barrel and rammed it through the torso of his assailant. The alien looked on his impaled body in disbelief as Sliver took up his tomahawk then decapitated the Vandal with its razor-sharp blade. The rifle was now so much scrap. He sent a signal to Eight who beamed in an Acheron SR5 via transmat. The SR5 was an effective alternative for a hunter who's lost their sniper rifle. Great rate of fire, excellent optics, and able to completely synch with a guardian's CVI wet-ware. The veteran hunter quickly synthesized ammo for his new rifle and made ready to move out.

Minutes later, the hunter slowly approached the outer perimeter of Harbor Point. The Acheron SR5 was held in front of him muzzle down as he closed in on Keisari dux Hawkmoon's personal transponder signal. Sliver hoped that his friend and fellow team-mate was in a rational state otherwise this extraction was going to be really complicated. He felt the change in the wind again but relaxed when he saw Mal'xian Chak-Tii blink into existence behind him. The hunter ignored the fact that his comrade's armor seemed to be alive with a strange crimson glow. There were some things he was better off being ignorant about.

"What happened, Chak-Tii? Forgot something was boiling in the cauldron? Beat you here by several minutes."

"Mock all you want Longstride. By my estimates we have destroyed at least 80% of the Fallen's garrison here in Old Chicago. According to JORMUNGAND's surveillance apps, the Vanguard is leading a Strike mission with all available FOTC units here to solidify the gains we have made here in the Midwest sector of North America. And I do believe when we get back to the Tower you owe me a drink in The Bastards Lounge since you are not on fire or glowing radioactive."

"At least not yet. Look alive, warlock. There's part of the 20% we missed taking out."

Outside the ground floor of the Harbor Point skyscraper, there were several dozen Dregs and Vandals that surrounded the main entrance. The Dregs were armed with shock-pistols and vibro-knives. The Vandals carried shock-rifles and large energy swords. They seemed to be focused on the entrance and weren't aware of the guardians behind them. Both the hunter and the warlock blended with the foliage as their CVIs activated the cloaking features of their armor. They crept closer to the enemy as the members of Fireteam Obsidian wondered silently at why the Fallen were so preoccupied. They didn't have to wait long for the answer.

A familiar black-armored titan crashed through the front entrance with a Fallen captain in tow. He threw a right hook that snapped the alien's head back. Hawkmoon followed that up with a short, left jab that splintered Ar'rakys the Unyielding's helmet. The Awoken titan swept the Fallen leader off his feet then stomped on his opponent's torso. Once. Twice. Three times the armored boot smashed down on the captain's ribs which broke under the furious assault. A Vandal tried to come to the captain's aid but was savagely backhanded by the guardian. The snapping of the Vandal's neck as his corpse dropped to the ground shocked his fellow warriors. The gathered Fallen then immediately rushed in to attack the lone guardian. Weapons charged up and blades were unsheathed as the Fallen charged into what they thought would be an easy victory.

Sliver Longstride blew the head off of the first Vandal that took a step towards Hawkmoon. Wisps of white-hot energy were released that were captured by the eerily glowing armor of the warlock Chak-Tii. The hunter squeezed off several shots that dropped the enemy in their tracks. Longstride pulled a pre-programmed swarm grenade, primed it, and tossed it towards a group of Vandals desperately trying to rally the Dregs. The grenade exploded which released a smart cloud of nano-bots that began disassembling the enemy atom by atom. Several tried to escape only to disappear.

The panic it caused was infectious as the Fallen saw that they weren't confronting just a single guardian but a full fireteam. What was once a coordinated assault now was degenerating into free-for-all street-fight. Cha-Tii took up his K'am-ock staff, twisted the middle, and swung it in a circle as fractal blades popped out at both ends. Heads of both Dregs and Vandals were cleanly lopped off as the warlock waded into the enemy. Sliver switched from using the scout rifle to his knife and tomahawk as he slashed his way towards Hawkmoon. Their titan continued his brutal offensive by breaking Vandals in half over his knee and smashing Dregs' heads into walls. A mound of corpses was growing around them as the battle raged on.

Warning lights flashed and alarms sounded as Longstride's shield was degraded to 50%. The hunter used his CVI and the helmet's sensor suite to 'boomerang' the shots back to where the Vandal snipers were hidden. The hunter swung up his Acheron SR5 to his shoulder and snap-fired two shots towards his attackers. The 7.62x67mm iridium-cored rounds went supersonic as they were propelled by the SR5's kinetic coils. The first bullet smashed through the Vandal's helmet spraying blood and brain matter in the air. The second tore out the other Vandal's throat dropping the alien sniper onto his knees. Both slumped to the ground slain by a veteran hunter in a very efficient manner.

Hawkmoon dropped a Dreg with a punch to the throat, took a vibro-knife from the dead alien, and buried it into a Vandal's groin hilt-deep. He broke the screeching Vandal's neck. Another Vandal slashed at the titan with a sword that he easily ducked. Hawkmoon got inside the alien's guard then elbowed him in the face. The black-armored titan broke the Fallen's wrist then thrust the sword through the enemy's chest. Slimy gore and blood dripped off Hawkmoon's battered armor. He picked up an enemy shock rifle looking for more Fallen to kill.

Chak-Tii retracted the fractal blades back into his K'am-ock staff and surveyed the carnage that Fireteam Obsidian had wrought on the Fallen House of the Celestial Tyrant. Over a hundred thousand Fallen corpses lay in the sun adding their bio-material to the surrounding swamplands. The burning wreckage of buildings and bunkers could be seen for kilometers around. The motion-tracker in his helmet pinged the IFF transponders of the approaching Javelin STS transports and other guardians beaming down nearby. As usual, Fireteam Obsidian did all the heavy lifting and now the Vanguard and the rest of the FOTC was swooping in at the tail end of an operation. In three centuries, nothing has really changed. Little did the Last City know things were now very different. The 'Liege-Killers' now had the leverage to change humanity's destiny.

The warlock stepped towards his team-mates in Harbor Point's plaza. Sliver Longstride was cleaning the SR5 and would be later stringing a new necklace of alien trophies of his prey. Keisari dux Hawkmoon was directing a group of guardians and FOTC soldiers in securing the beaten Ar'rakyss the Unyielding by strapping the Fallen captain into a shock harness and manacles. He saw both Commander Zavala and Cayde-6 assessing the damage wrought by the infamous Black Guardians. Their report to both The Speaker and the Consensus would weigh heavily in being allowed to stay in The Last City. No matter what they were finally going home. The Moon and the Hive could wait for another day.

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Blackguard Rising, pt 1

**Chapter Three: Blackguard Rising, pt. 1**

_**AN: **__Since 9.9.14, I think we've all been a little busy zipping around the solar system and whacking aliens in a million & one different methods of slaughter. Thanks to all those fellow Guardians who have taken the time to review this story and to all those who've chosen to follow the adventures of Fireteam Obsidian. Also a special shout-out to my fellow Dirty Old Bastards; kicking ass 'n taking names with old-school gun-fu has never been so much fun! See 'ya all starside…._

**The Last City, Earth**

"Hangar Control to Peregrine Flight, you are cleared to make your approach through City airspace. Set IFF transponders to frequency 180.85 on omnidirectional pulse. Remain on present heading to the Tower. Any deviation from your current route will result in immediate disintegration."

"Roger that, Control. Maintaining present heading and setting all IFF transponders to frequency 180.85 on omnidirectional pulse. Please advise The Speaker that Fireteam Obsidian is requesting an audience with him soonest. Both the Commander and the Warden are recommending that it should happen without delay."

The Javelin STS transport swooped in and hovered in front of Tower Plaza as a boarding ramp cycled open to receive its passengers. First to disembark were a dozen Titans clad in Vanir armor with Sahara AR-3 auto-rifles cradled in their massive arms. They lined either side of the walkway then took their auto-rifles and presented arms as a single entity. The Tower's annunciator system boomed with the following message:

"Commander, City Titan Corps arriving!"

Both FOTC soldiers and technicians stopped whatever activity they were performing, came to the position of attention, and rendered a salute to Commander Zavala as he strode forth from the transport. He was in deep conversation with his ghost, Caesar, who seemed to be arguing with its partner. They were having a heated discussion on the after-action report submitted by Mal'xian Chak-Tii, the team's warlock. Sliver Longstride hated paperwork and Keisari dux Hawkmoon felt that actually doing a scribe's job was beneath him. Since the warlock fancied himself as a scholar, they elected to let Chak-Tii do the scutwork that needed to be done for the FOTC. It was an arrangement that worked out for everyone involved. Except for a few vocal bureaucrats in the Consensus, the AAR's received from Fireteam Obsidian were given little or no scrutiny. Until now.

The hangar's annunciator system boomed a second time: "Warden of the Circle, arriving!"

Cayde-6 leisurely strolled down the passageway as he and his ghost, Artemis, talked about which hunters among the Circle were ready to enter this year's Iron Banner tourney. The Warden suggested that Sliver Longstride should enter the competition. Artemis disagreed; she thought the idea of one of the infamous 'Liege-Killers' taking part would discourage younger and less experienced hunters from entering. Unlike Commander Zavala and Caesar, their conversation was very amicable. They proceeded on their way to the Hall of Guardians to conference with the Speaker. The Vanguard were ready to recommend to the Consensus that Fireteam Obsidian be fully reinstated with the FOTC and be allowed to reside within the City. There would be the usual protests of course, but the Black Guardians did make a significant contribution to the City's security by the retrieval of the JORMUNGAND system. Also the rescue of the Reef's Crown Princess, Yizi Il-Allitys Feystorm, would strengthen the City's position in the current negotiations for an alliance with the Reef. These were great victories indeed that never would have been achieved without the heroic efforts of Fireteam Obsidian.

As the Vanguard commanders and their ghosts continued through to Tower Plaza, the final group of passengers disembarked from the Javelin transport. The Tower's annunciator system boomed one last time: "Fireteam Obsidian, Chosen Few and Designated Reaper Crew, arriving! Guardians, we salute your victorious return!"

Fireteam Obsidian swaggered down the ramp, their helmets swiveling as one as they scanned the hangar area for any overt threats to their presence. They knew they had enemies as well within The Wall. Their weapons were kept close and ready for action.

Yet the 'Liege-Killers' didn't need to worry for the crowded hangar burst into spontaneous applause as well as a few shouts of encouragement. The assembled FOTC soldiers and technicians formed ranks then rendered a perfect hand salute to the passing Black Guardians. As Keisari dux Hawkmoon, The Last Executioner passed the Vanir-clad Titans, the Commander's guards knelt down on one knee to pay homage to a veteran who Held The Line. Sliver Longstride waved to the crowd with genuine delight. Mal'xian Chak-Tii studiously ignored the crowd as they worked their way through the excited masses out of the Tower Hangar. Even more crowds greeted them as they walked quickly through the Plaza and into Tower North. FOTC Security Forces and their sentry bots cleared the entrance to the Speaker's domicile. As they entered the Speaker's home, Cersei activated the privacy screens and ordered the Security Forces to maintain a cordon that extended 200m in all directions. Once that task was completed, she summoned a number of bots to serve tea and other assorted refreshments for their guests. The Speaker noted with great disappointment that Ikora Rey, the City's Supreme, had declined his invitation to welcome home Fireteam Obsidian. Rey did send a brief congratulatory message via e-mail that was received by the Black Guardians' armor but the Speaker could tell from its flat monotone that there was still bad blood between her and Malx'ian Chak-Tii. It was a situation that he would have to deal with sooner rather than later. Once everyone had a drink in hand, the Speaker began the meeting.

"Before we start, I'd like to raise a toast to Fireteam Obsidian on a most impressive victory. The 1st Murican Rangers have started sweep-and-clear operations throughout Old Chicago for any remnants of the House of the Celestial Tyrant. They will be reinforced by elements from the Pathfinder Brigade and the 3rd Volunteer Rifle Corps. Our engineers are working on restoring that node and reactivating the Transmat Transport Network in the ruins of the North American Empire. None of this would have been possible without your efforts. To Fireteam Obsidian!"

The members of Fireteam Obsidian had already removed their helms and tossed back their tumblers of aged whiskey with abandon. Once they were done with their drinks, Malx'ian Chak-Tii took the memory crystal from his pouch and presented it to the Speaker. The crystal caught the ambient sunlight then projected an orange-hued holographic display which streamed blueprints and schematics of Golden Age technology. There were notes about energy production using Generation IV reactors and Lithium-Air Batteries. A full series of research papers on the creation and maintenance of Artificial Minds, including a full section on the Warminds Charlemagne and Rasputin. Additionally whole sections on Hyperloop systems, spaceplanes, and virtuasphere technologies were also included. The Speaker was impressed with the warlock's boldness. Princess Feystorm had indeed found the Argonne Treasure.

"Extraordinary," said Cersei "but I see little evidence of military R&D plans or anything connected with weapons development. Can I have your opinion on why this is, warlock?"

Malx'ian Chak-Tii smirked at the ghost's barb. "Cersei, it's all in the AAR that our fireteam submitted prior to our arrival here at The Tower. If you have a problem with my report, take it up with Commnader Zavala." The warlock pointed towards the massive Titan. Commander Zavala merely shrugged at the suggestion. The warlock helped himself to another lamb kabob while Cersei's single photo-receptor flared blue in annoyance. She knew Chak-Tii was hiding something but without any solid evidence, there was nothing the Security Forces could detain him on.

"Cersei, please, it is a time for celebration after all. We must show our gratitude to these brave guardians! Come, it is time for the City to show its true appreciation."

The Speaker summoned forth his Iridium Crozier and raised it over his head. A bright, white flash blinded everyone. Minutes later they all appeared on the steps before the Hall of Guardians as applause thundered from the thousands of people who gathered in Tower Plaza. The Speaker gestured once then the crowd became silent. After checking that he was synched with the Tower's public-address system he began to talk. He was very confident that this ceremony would convince the Black Guardians that the City was looking more towards the future. The Speaker hoped that the various factions would forget the fireteam's role in ending The Faction Wars. He understood the guardians' reluctance of appearing here in the Tower Plaza. It made them vulnerable.

"Fellow citizens of the Last City, all too often we have more cause to mourn in sadness. It seems as if the heavens despise us for being all too human, for possessing gifts of creativity, of resilience, of our refusal to surrender to the Darkness that has all but consumed our solar system. We have buried both the common soldier of the FOTC and the extraordinary few guardians that protect us from the various invaders who desire to rob us of our destiny to journey among the stars. Usually we do not have a reason to be joyous or to give thanks here as a people. Today we do have a reason to celebrate!"

Exiting the Hall of Guardians below them, Commander Zavala and Cayde-6 strode forth from Vanguard HQ with slim cases in hand. The crowds went wild as the Vanguard leaders approached Fireteam Obsidian with serious expressions on their faces. Then Commander Zavala's gravelly voice reverberated in the Plaza.

"Keisari dux Hawkmoon, step forward and be recognized by a grateful City."

The titan powerhouse of Fireteam Obsidian marched in front of where Commander Zavala stood. Then Hawkmoon snapped a hand salute and held it. The crowd kept silent as they continued to bear witness to this historic event. Zavala unrolled a flimsi-scroll and began to read off a citation.

"On 2714 9.9, Keisari dux Hawkmoon, a member of Fireteam Obsidian on detached duty with the Vanguard, effected the rescue of an allied VIP and the capture of a notorious HVT on the FOTC's Blacklist. During the fighting, he was briefly a prisoner of the Enemy. He gained valuable intelligence during his brief period of captivity and did make his own escape back to friendly forces. For his bravery, the Consensus is awarding the _**hasta pura**_ ." The Vanguard commander held out a silver colored spinmetal spear to his fellow titan. Hawkmoon accepted the award with restrained grace. Then he did an about-face and returned to stand alongside his fireteam. Once the titan was back in place, Commander Zavala waved over Cayde-6 to stand in his place. The Exo Warden unrolled his own flimsi-scroll as he summoned the next awardee to be recognized.

"Sliver Longstride, step forward and be recognized by a grateful City."

The master hunter of Fireteam Obsidian walked forward towards Cayde-6 and grasped each other's forearms in the ritual greeting of The Circle. Once apart, the Warden of the Circle spoke again. There was genuine pride in the Exo's voice.

"On 2714 9.9 Fireteam Obsidian, while on detached duty with the Vanguard, executed a search-and-destroy mission against the Fallen House of the Celestial Tyrant. During the fighting, an unusual development was uncovered where the fireteam adjusted their priorities to effect the rescue of an allied VIP. Those actions have been beneficial to the ongoing negotiations for a formal alliance with the Queen of the Reef. Once the allied VIP was secured by friendly forces, Sliver Longstride led an assault on the House of the Celestial Tyrant with the warlock Malx'ian Chak-Tii which resulted in the destruction of their stronghold and the capture of their Captain, Ar'rakyss the Unyielding. In recognition of your bravery, the Consensus is awarding you the Honor Star, Golden Class. Wear it with pride, master hunter." Cayde-6 presented a slim case that contained a vaulted five-pointed, star-shaped badge. Included was a ribbon on which the date '2714 9.9' was engraved on a plate. Sliver Longstride and Cayde-6 exchanged the ritual greeting of The Circle once more then parted ways.

The Speaker had decided that both he and the present Vanguard leaders would present the next award. With the Supreme absent, the Coven was split between those loyal to their current leader and the growing number of warlocks who chose to flock to Malx'ian Chak-Tii and The Elder Sign. It was a disturbing situation to witness as a fellow scholar of The Traveler. With the warrior-mystics of The Coven divided, it just might be the chink in humanity's armor that the Darkness could exploit for its own gain. He just hoped that both the Supreme and the Emissary of Oblivion could settle their differences before the Hive launched their new offensive against the City. He raised his arms high as he summoned the last member of Fireteam Obsidian.

"Malx'ian Chak-Tii, step forward and be recognized by a grateful City."

The Awoken warlock dispensed with walking altogether as he floated into the air then burst with raw, solar energy. Ethereal wings of fire extended from his shoulders as he dazzled the gathered citizens with his very public display of power. He levitated in front of the Speaker for a moment before his feet touched the ground and he reverted back to normal form. The crowds roared with approval but the warlock did not seem interested.

When it came down to it, Malx'ian Chak-Tii didn't feel the need to be among these sheep. There were other, more pressing issues that concerned him. With the Hive threatening to invade Earth, a public awards ceremony wasn't worth his time. Yet the warlock understood the need for public spectacle and to keep up the citizens' morale. He gracefully bowed to the Speaker then stood at attention. The Speaker took another slim case from Commander Zavala and spoke once again. It was now high noon as the sun shone brightly in the sky. The crowds waited anxiously for the Speaker to finish the day's event.

"On 2714 9.9 Malx'ian Chak-Tii, warlock assigned to Fireteam Obsidian, did engage a sizable force that were later identified as belonging to the Fallen House of the Celestial Tyrant in the swamplands of Old Chicago. It was during that engagement that the fireteam had discovered the presence of an allied VIP being held prisoner by the Fallen. At great personal risk, Malx'ian Chak-Tii fought his way to and rescued the VIP from the Enemy. After securing her release, the warlock called in the 1st Murican Rangers to escort the VIP back to safety. Upon being informed by Sliver Longstride that their teammate Keisari dux Hawkmoon was captured by the Enemy, both guardians took the initiative and executed an assault that demolished the Fallen stronghold and resulted in the capture of Ar'rakyss the Unyielding, a HVT on the City's Blacklist. For these actions, the Consensus is awarding you the Iridium Cross for Conspicuous Gallantry."

A great cheer arose from those warlocks wearing bonds that projected an imitation of The Elder Sign. As the FOTC's highest award for valor was lowered over Chak-Tii's head, a scuffle had broken out between members of the New Monarchy and Chak-Tii's supporters that was quickly broken up by uniformed Security Forces constables. Cersei and the Speaker were both glad that the Newtype Suppression Field generators were active otherwise Tower Plaza would become a war zone. At least everyone had the good sense not to unholster their weapons and gun each other down in public. The constables calmed down the reasonable ones but the uncooperative were placed into shackles for later transport to the Municipal Detention Center. It reminded the Speaker that even in the midst of total genocide the human race could still be divisive as ever.

Commander Zavala stepped forward and had another award to present to the warlock.

"On the same date, Malx'ian Chak-Tii retrieved a memory crystal from the Enemy that contained a number of valuable schematics of Golden Age technology. The applications of this will be used for a number of military and municipal upgrades. On behalf of a grateful City, warlock, we present to you the Clear Skies & Bright Stars Award for improving our security and quality of life."

The Awoken titan handed over another slim case which held a sky-blue and chrome-yellow ribbon inside. Chak-Tii shook the commander's hand and hoped that this ceremony wouldn't last much longer. He had an appointment that he needed to be at. The warlock was starting to get irritated with the flowery speeches and the needless politicking. Chak-Tii knew the Hive weren't going to wait much longer to invade the Earth. Preparations needed to be made to not only repel them but annihilate them from existence. He tried not to roll his eyes as Cayde-6 walked up and stood next to Commander Zavala.

"Finally, " the Exo Hunter said, " individually these guardians are formidable. As a single unit, a fireteam, they are unstoppable. In recognition of this both the Vanguard and the Consensus have created The Order of Obsidian which will be awarded to those guardians who have fought on against insurmountable odds. Those guardians who have been chosen for induction into The Order of Obsidian are the most elite warriors of the FOTC's Protective Forces. And the first awardees are, of course, Fireteam Obsidian."

The Speaker placed silver-and-black sashes that had the FOTC logo and a starburst insignia on all three members of Fireteam Obsidian. Cam-drones digitally recorded the historic moment as applause and a few cat-calls broke out from the crowd. Once the Speaker was finished and signaled that the event was over, the crowd made a bee-line for the various tables that were serving food and liquor. The Consensus believed the awards ceremony should also reward the ordinary citizen for doing their part in keeping the City well-maintained and supporting the FOTC in its combat operations against the various alien factions hell-bent on wiping out humanity. It was the least the City could do to keep the citizens' morale up.

As soon as the Vanguard and The Speaker left Tower Plaza, Malx'ian Chak-Tii had excused himself and told his team-mates that he would meet them later at their favorite tavern/beer hall, The Bastards Lounge in the Overwatch district. Checking his chronometer, the warlock saw it was half past one in the afternoon. He had plenty of time to make his appointment. The warlock decided to make a full circle of the Tower and ensure no one was following him. After an hour or so of running surveillance detection runs, the warlock made his way to Traveler's Walk. To the Embassy of the Reef and to the Queen's Emissary, Petra Venj.

Malx'ian Chak-Tii invoked several cantrips to disguise his identity and his person as he approached the front gate of the embassy. In accordance with the FOTC's homeworld security protocols, the Reef could not station any of its Fallen troops from the broken House of Wolves here in The Last City. Light bent and rearranged itself around his person as his armor took on a rose-gold shade. His bond morphed into one usually worn by the Queen's Guard. The gatekeepers crossed their force-pikes and barred his entry into the embassy.

"Identify yourself, stranger. You wear the armor of Her Majesty's Guard but we do not recognize you." Both gatekeepers kept their hands on the butt of their machine-pistols.

The warlock gestured once as the illusion fell away and his armor, The Royal Robes of Hastur, blazed with red-tinged ethereal flames. His Pallid Mask morphed into a ravenous beast that opened its terrible maw and snarled at the guards who cringed in fear. They pulled their machine-pistols and were about to trigger a burst when a voice was heard in the courtyard.

"Hold your fire! By order of the Crown Princess!"

Princess Yizi il-Allitys Feystorm and her heavily-armed and armored escorts filled the courtyard. Chak-Tii could hear the kinetic coils of pulse rifles and heavy machine guns energizing. Sentry bots with disruptor cannons flared with an iridescent emerald glow. The warlock knew that the Queen's Guard was fanatical in their devotion to the Royal Family. They would die before any harm would befall their charges. He took in the beauty of Princess Feystorm.

She was tall for an Awoken female at 2.5 meters. Her hair was a silky onyx, tied in a ponytail. A gold tiara with a single star-shaped sapphire sat on her brow. Princess Feystorm was attired in a military-grade skinsuit that had a number of defensive arrays that protected its wearer from any sort of attack that also included NBC and nano-form assault. The well-worn hand-cannon in her shoulder holster had seen much use and Chak-Tii knew it wasn't from just target practice at the Guards Barracks. The Crown Princess was a formidable enemy just like her mother.

"I'll only ask this once, warlock. Who are you?"

The warlock touched his helmet which retracted back to reveal his face to the Crown Princess. Her mouth formed an O in shock as the rest of the Queen's Guard backed up and aimed their weapons at the guardian. Alarms sounded as the Embassy went into lockdown mode. Chak-Tii opened his arms as the Crown Princess crashed into him. She hugged the warlock fiercely as tears streamed down her face. Then the warlock's voice, assisted by his power, reverberated in the air.

"_**I am Mal'xian Chak-Tii il –Allitys Feystorm, First of my name. Champion of the Reef, Queen's Consort , and former Commander of the Queen's Guard.**_ _**I order you to stand down immediately. The Emissary of Oblivion has returned to seek an audience with the Queen!"**_

In a hushed whisper, the Crown Princess said, " I've missed you so much Father…"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	5. Blackguard Rising, pt2

**Chapter Four: Blackguard Rising, pt. 2**

**Overwatch District, Earth**

**The Bastards Lounge**

Of the many public houses and taverns inside the Wall, none were as infamous as The Bastards Lounge. The Vanguard had a standing order that forbade the Security Forces from even being anywhere within 1,000 meters of the place. It was run by a pair of notorious guardians who still earned a meager stipend from the FOTC as they were still listed on the rolls as being assigned to the Individual Reserve Force. The Lounge soon became the home for a number of guardians who were stripped of their active-duty status. Many of them were former members of the FOTC's now defunct Disruptive Operations Brigade aka 'The Bastards Brigade'. Ordinary citizens and especially uniformed constables gave the Lounge and its patrons a wide berth. The Security Forces and the Consensus had spent a fortune replacing destroyed security bots. They even spent more in the hospitalization of seriously injured constables. The High Constable was very grateful to the Vanguard for that edict; more than half of his uniformed constables had spent time in the rejuvenation tanks or in a chrysalis machine. The Bastards Lounge was declared off-limits to anyone not connected to the Bastards Brigade.

The exterior of the Lounge was made of plassteel and permacrete which resembled a 20th century blockhouse in the Second World War. There were several T-walls and Jersey Barriers that stood at 4m in height strategically placed on the main street. Outside the front entrance, two cyber-linked sentry turrets swept the area for any threats. The turrets' armament included 14mm gatling guns, 40mm grenade launchers, Duster anti-aerospace missiles, and the Cast Lead area-denial weapons system eagerly sought out targets using a multi-sensor/optics suite. Only those who had served in The Bastards Brigade were implanted with an encrypted RFID chip that enabled its owner to enter/exit the Lounge without being shredded at the front door. It also kept unwanted vendors from pestering the customers inside the tavern.

Inside was dimly lit by LED floods in the ceiling. The hardwood floor had a covering of sawdust that made it easier for the barkeeps to keep the place clean. In the middle of the room was the main bar where the owner of The Bastards Lounge, Praetorian, held court. A former Captain-General of the FOTC's Protective Forces and the infamous commander of The Bastards Brigade who enjoyed serving practical advice with the liquor he sold. He also did profitable black-market arms sales when it suited his fancy.

Around the main bar were a number of circular tables where a fireteam of three could kick their heels up. Padded seats ensured their comfort whenever a guardian chose to sit down. In the back were the private booths that could be reserved for clandestine meetings with faction patrons or dangerous liaisons with a variety of the City's many accomplished courtesans. The booths were outfitted with the latest in counter-surveillance gear and the best in privacy screens. It was everything one needed to keep a conspiracy quiet from the Consensus, the Speaker, or the Vanguard. Praetorian charged a premium in glimmer for their use. It was first come, first serve with the glimmer paid up front. And yes, in this current age, business was booming. Within the Wall, Intrigue was king.

"Hey Praetorian! Another round of Red Lightning for me 'n the boys!"

The Exo hunter-turned-bartender reached behind the counter and took out a bottle of the most popular brand here in the lounge. Red Lightning was 110% guaranteed to knock you on your ass and you'd take that ass-whupping like a champ. Blended from several different liquors, it was the drink of choice for the Bastards. Praetorian waved over one of his premier servers, Khalessi Marie, to take the drinks over to the waiting customers. If the Exo veteran could smile then he'd have a feral grin on his face. This was going to be really entertaining.

Fuzzy Buzz-Kill polished off the last of his Red Lightning and gazed longingly at the approaching barmaid. It was an in-house joke among the Bastards that all of them were smitten with the female titan. There even was a betting pool on who'd be the first to score a date with her. Khaleesi Marie was statuesque; a true Amazon who stood at 2.75 m tall. Shoulder-length blonde hair framed a heart shaped face that graced many a customer with a kilowatt smile. Her ice-grey eyes spoke volumes of both triumph and tragedy on her adventures beyond the Wall. Today she was dressed in an older style FOTC skin-suit in bright neon-green with black stripes running down her thighs and calves. Her feet were sporting onyx-black mil-spec melee shoes, easy on the soles when working the floor but ready to kick ass at a moment's notice. She rolled her eyes as Fuzzy waved her over to his table.

The warlock known as Fuzzy Buzz-Kill was well known for his hatred of servitors and shanks. He'd usually go out of his way to annihilate the machines if they were within striking distance. He earned his spurs in the Coven by killing Sepkis Prime during the Devil's Lair strike years ago. FOTC veterans still talk of how the warlock killed the High Servitor with a well-timed Nova Bomb to crush the Fallen House of Devils. He drank mostly for free here in the Bastards Lounge since someone else was usually picking up his tab.

Recently the warlock was placed on 'administrative leave' while the Security Forces were conducting an investigation of his involvement in the 'willful corruption of young fems' specifically the daughters of two prominent Consensus members. One of which was the Lord Provost's own which caused a scandal when the news broke over Guardian Satellite Radio and the City News Service. So much protest was voiced in the Hall of Assembly that the Supreme Ikora Rey was forced to remove Fuzzy from the active-duty roster. Months later, no forward progress in said investigation and the warlock chose to keep company with his fellow Bastards drinking away his troubles. Praetorian made a small fortune on just Fuzzy's bar tab alone.

"Hey beautiful," said Fuzzy, "when is your shift over? Care to grab some tea? The coffeehouse on Carletto Way just got in a new shipment of Earl Grey."

Khalessi Marie turned her ice-grey eyes towards the warlock. None of her usual warmth emanated from those eyes. The look they had could freeze hell a million times over. Of course, Fuzzy Buzz-Kill was oblivious to the danger he was now in. Too many glasses of Red Lightning could fell a wooly Mammoth if any were still alive in the 28th Century. The Bastards who knew Khalessi Marie all cleared the immediate area. Even on R&R, guardians could still find plenty of trouble within the City's limits. Praetorian was already making an order for new furniture on his datapad. He knew the lounge needed an upgrade.

"Listen Fuzzy, it's been a long day and I'm kinda tired. I'm not in a joking mood and no, I'm not interested in grabbing some tea with you. So, here are your drinks Mr. Buzz-Kill. Have fun!" The titan turned away only to feel her wrist grabbed. Fuzzy had a pleading look in his blood-shot eyes. Grudgingly, she turned back and glared at the warlock.

In a whisper, Fuzzy said: "C'mon Marie! Cut me a break girl! The pool is up to 10k in glimmer. I'll even cut you in for ten percent, eh?" The female titan was very aware of her fellow Bastards' betting pool. She didn't need the glimmer and surely didn't need the aggravation. She shrugged off the warlock's grip with ease.

"Sorry Fuzzy," she said with a smirk "but I've got better things to do. 'Bye!"

Flabbergasted, the determined warlock made another attempt to stop her from leaving. When Fuzzy reached out to grab her again, the titan's energized fist struck the warlock in a looping right hook that burnt his cheek and sent him flying across the lounge. Fuzzy crashed onto a table which broke underneath him and spewed a cloud of sawdust.

He tried sitting up but vertigo took over, his eyes rolled up, and he crashed back onto the floor. The sound of roaring laughter filled the lounge as the various Bastards raised their glasses in honor of Khalessi Marie. Praetorian also had a great laugh and enjoyed times like this as these moments were few and far between. He knew the Bastards were all craving to return to the frontier and rejoin The War Against The Darkness. If the Consensus would get their collective heads out of their asses and place the Bastards back on the FOTC's active-duty roster then all would be right in his world. At least Fireteam Obsidian was finally allowed to come back home. Praetorian couldn't wait to see those Bastards again. Obsidian's overdue bar tab from three centuries ago had accrued a ton of interest. And Praetorian was eager to collect on that debt. The hunter continued to polish glasses as other Bastards picked up Fuzzy and exited the lounge to bring the unconscious warlock home.

**Traveler's Walk, Earth**

**Embassy of the Reef**

"Lord Feystorm, the Queen's Emissary will see you now." 

Mal'xian Chak-Tii il-Alitys Feystorm stood up and adjusted his armor. He had altered the appearance of his armor to that worn by the Queen's Guard. The warlock dampened the arcane signatures of both the Elder Sign and the Royal Robes of Hastur lest the Queen's Witches gain insight to his sources of power. Even though he still held title as a Champion of the Reef, there were many in the Starlight Court who would love to place his head on a pike. He turned in his hand-cannons and K'am-ock staff to the guards outside the anteroom who secured the weapons in an ornate lockbox. The warlock received the key from the guards as he was ushered into the Emissary's anteroom.

As the warlock settled into a comfortable armchair, a hidden door opened and Petra Venj, the Queen's Emissary, stepped through with another pair of guards. While her escorts were armed and armored, Venj wore a low-cut jumpsuit with a fur-lined cloak. The Sigil of the Sovereign adorned her cloak. Her boots clacked on the marble floor as she approached Chak-Tii. The Queen's Emissary stood close to 2m tall and her curves were in all the right places. She had used her feminine charm and assets to climb into the highest ranks of the Starlight Court. As the Queen's chief advisor and prime minister, Petra Venj was just as formidable an enemy as either the Queen or her brother, The Master of Crows. Mal'xian Chak-Tii knew that he had to be wary at all times with any Reefborn Awoken. He gave a slight bow; enough to acknowledge the other's position but without a hint of subservience.

"So Lord Feystorm, you have returned to the land of the living. I always knew the news of your demise was wishful thinking on the part of your enemies. In the name of the Queen, I welcome you home Champion." Petra bowed low at the hip for a few seconds then straightened up. She gestured to the conference table and both sat in comfortable armchairs. An Awoken servant brought a decanter of wine and a couple of glasses. Once the servant left the anteroom, Chak-Tii poured them both a glass of Venusian Red and handed the other to Venj. They toasted the Queen and finished their drinks in silence. Chak-Tii took a broken shard from a hidden pocket of his sleeve and pushed it across the table to Venj. The Queen's Emissary had a puzzled look on her face.

Chak-Tii pointed towards the shard. "That is a piece of The Argonne Treasure. On it are the schematics for constructing corvettes and frigates from the keel up. Newer, faster ships to replace the rebuilt hulls that currently make up the Queen's Fleet. All Golden Age-era tech from the Newtype Luminal Slipstream drives to better armor and armaments for said ships. It's a gift for the Reef."

"For this you will receive the gratitude of Her Majesty. But I sense you want something in return for this gift Lord Feystorm. Name the price, warlock, but be warned that any negotiation with you needs the Queen's approval." Petra Venj refilled her glass then slowly sipped the Venusian Red. She was intrigued as to why the warlock was bestowing such a valuable resource to the Reef. He'd been away so long in The Last City she feared that he no longer held allegiance to the Reef. His eyes told her nothing of his intentions. It was like staring into one of the massive stone idols on Easter Island.

The warlock smiled at Petra Venj. "I know Her Majesty will formalize an alliance with The Last City. How will the Speaker and the Consensus react if they learned that the Prison of Elders held one of the City's greatest heroes, hmmm…"

Petra Venj choked on her drink. No! ,she thought to herself. How did Lord Feystorm know this state secret? If he decided to sabotage the negotiations with the Last City, the Reef would be bereft of rare earth elements and other resources desperately needed for its security. The Queen's Emissary stared at the warlock with shock.

"I have need of that prisoner. I want the release of Jizzahk Komorebi. The First Guardian."

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
